Body liquid absorbent articles represented by disposable diapers or the like comprise an absorbent material for absorbing a liquid such as a body liquid, a flexible liquid-permeable surface sheet (top sheet) positioned on a side contacting a body, and a liquid-impermeable backside sheet (back sheet) positioned on a side opposite to that contacting the body.
Conventionally, there have been increasing demands for thinning and light-weighing of absorbent articles, from the viewpoint of designing property, convenience upon carrying, and efficiency upon distribution. Further, in the recent years, there have been growing needs for so-called eco-friendly intentions, in which resources are effectively utilized so that use of natural materials that require a long time to grow such as trees is avoided as much as possible, from the viewpoint of environmental protection.
In view of the above, as a water-absorbent sheet structure containing very small amount of crushed pulp fibers from wood, and having excellent fundamental properties, e.g. fast liquid permeation rate, sufficient liquid absorbent properties, small amount of liquid re-wet, small liquid leakage, shape retaining ability, and is capable of accomplishing thinning, a proposal has been made for a water-absorbent sheet structure having a structure in which a given amount of a water-absorbent resin and a given amount of a hot melt adhesive are sandwiched with two or more sheets of hydrophilic nonwoven fabrics having a given basis weight, e.g. see Patent Publication 1.
On the other hand, in the conventional absorbent material mentioned above, in order to improve the effects in absorption rate and fittability and prevention of deformation in shapes, a proposal has been made to subject the absorbent material to embossing, e.g. Patent Publication 2.